5 Reasons to Support Affirmative Action in College Admissions (2024)

FAQs

What are the advantages of affirmative action? ›

Advantages. An obvious benefit of affirmative action is the opportunities they provide to people who otherwise might not have them. These opportunities include access to education for students who may be disadvantaged and career advancement for employees who may be blocked from rising up the corporate ladder.

Courses and Grades

A student's grades in college-preparatory classes remain the most significant factor in college admission decisions. Highly selective colleges look for students who: Complete core academic requirements.

Affirmative action aims to right historic wrongs by favoring defined groups of individuals that were discriminated against in the past. For instance, a company might post jobs in areas with high numbers of minority job seekers to reach these under-represented candidates.

According to an annual survey by the National Association of College Admission Counseling (NACAC), foremost among these are academics and admission test scores, with additional factors such as writing samples, recommendations and extracurricular activities rounding out the picture of an ideal candidate.

Affirmative action is defined as a set of procedures designed to; eliminate unlawful discrimination among applicants, remedy the results of such prior discrimination, and prevent such discrimination in the future. Applicants may be seeking admission to an educational program or looking for professional employment.

Yes race is a big factor in college admissions. You'll be competing with other asians who all typically have strong tests scores,gpa, and ECs rather than all applicants. Underrepresented minorities like blacks and latinos however typically aren't as competitive for these schools, so it is easier to get in for them.

What Are the Most Important Factors in College Admissions? According to a 2019 report from the National Association for College Admission Counseling, the top factors for admissions are overall high school GPA, grades in Advanced Placement or other college-prep classes and the difficulty of the student's curriculum.

The Qualities Colleges Want

To gauge what students can bring to their campus, they look for these types of qualities: Leadership. A willingness to take risks. Initiative.

Affirmative action in the United States is the active effort to improve employment, educational, and other opportunities for members of groups that have been subjected to discrimination. Criteria for affirmative action include race, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, and age.

What is another word for affirmative action? ›

Top 10% Rule

To meet the requirements, you must graduate in the top 10% of your class at a recognized public or private high school in Texas or a high school operated by the U.S. Department of Defense and be a Texas resident or eligible to pay resident tuition.

The traditional college application essay usually requires an open-ended personal statement in response to broad or general prompts that might have you share a story, reflect on an event, or discuss a topic.

For federal contractors and subcontractors, affirmative action must be taken by covered employers to recruit and advance qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans.

In the 1960s and 1970s, colleges and graduate schools began developing affirmative action policies to expand access to disadvantaged and underrepresented segments of society, including racial minorities.

Affirmative action involves sets of policies and practices within a government or organization seeking to include particular groups based on their gender, race, sexuality, creed or nationality in areas in which such groups are underrepresented - such as education and employment.

Students aim to impress admissions officers with above-satisfactory grades and accolades from clubs, teams, or competitions. However, a component that does not often appear in one's mind when told the word “college,” plays a significant role in an application—race.

The dif- ference in graduation rates is larger, with 57% of affirmative action students graduating compared to 73% of their nonaffirmative action peers.

Does being multiracial help college admissions? ›

Many counselors will convey to families that a multiracial applicant — like one who is black and Chinese — often has a better chance of being admitted to a highly selective college than those in any other racial or ethnic category. When asked for advice by an applicant weighing whether to identify as multiracial, Mr.

Admissions officers look at “hard factors” (GPA, grades, and test scores) and “soft factors” (essays, extracurricular activities, recommendations, and demonstrated interest) to gain a full picture of applicants.

Many applicants to highly selective colleges have perfect GPAs, strong performance in AP and IB courses, sky-high SAT and ACT scores, amazing extracurricular and leadership resumes, enthusiastic letters of recommendation, and compelling personal statements.

College authorities want to know more about your academic interests and commitments. Talk about the specific educational, research, and other academic opportunities offered by the college that appeal to you. Expand on this idea by talking about how these opportunities help support your future goals.

Admissions officers are looking for students that will best thrive and contribute to the unique milieu at their college. Specifically strong grades in a rigorous curriculum along with strong standardized test scores are seen first.

A transcript with a mix of A-s and B+s will produce a grade point average in the range of 3.5, which is an important cutoff for many colleges. In general, admissions officers want to see more As than Bs, so having an unweighted GPA of above 3.5 can make a big difference.

Affirmative action in the United States is a set of laws, policies, guidelines, and administrative practices "intended to end and correct the effects of a specific form of discrimination" that include government-mandated, government-approved, and voluntary private programs.

What is the current affirmative action policy? ›

The affirmative action enacted by the government is presently in the form of reservation policies by granting quota to SC, ST, OBC and EWS in higher education and public employment.

What impact was affirmative action designed to have? Affirmative action was designed to decrease discrimination based on race and gender in the educational and employment sectors. Policies required institutions to admit or hire quotas of individuals of certain racial ethnicities to increase representation.

Race discrimination involves treating someone (an applicant or employee) unfavorably because he/she is of a certain race or because of personal characteristics associated with race (such as hair texture, skin color, or certain facial features).

Of these four arguments, which of the following is the most plausible argument AGAINST affirmative action? Affirmative action violates the rights of white men to equal treatment.

On September 24, 1965 President Lyndon B. Johnson issued Executive Order 11246, prohibiting employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, and national origin by those organizations receiving federal contracts and subcontracts.

An affirmative action plan or program under this section shall contain three elements: a reasonable self analysis; a reasonable basis for concluding action is appropriate; and reasonable action.

Affirmative action aims to right historic wrongs by favoring defined groups of individuals that were discriminated against in the past. For instance, a company might post jobs in areas with high numbers of minority job seekers to reach these under-represented candidates.

This plan makes sure you are providing employment opportunities to all people. It ensures equality regardless of their race, gender, creed, or status as a disabled person. Not following this compliance can lead to serious penalties.

Affirmative action also implies inferiority, sending a message that minority students are not expected to do as well as white students. Both of these lead to a “debilitating doubt,” where many classmates and future employers view minority students or graduates as products of a policy and not of merit.

What are the benefits of preventing discrimination? ›

Affirmative action involves sets of policies and practices within a government or organization seeking to include particular groups based on their gender, race, sexuality, creed or nationality in areas in which such groups are underrepresented - such as education and employment.

Affirmative action in the United States is a set of laws, policies, guidelines, and administrative practices "intended to end and correct the effects of a specific form of discrimination" that include government-mandated, government-approved, and voluntary private programs.

Kentridge holds that the “legitimate beneficiaries of affirmative action are those disadvantaged by unfair discrimination, that is, those who are, or have been, disadvantaged by measures which impair their fundamental human Page 11 CASES / VONNISSE 449 dignity or adversely affect them in a comparably serious way” ( ...

Affirmative action in the United States is the active effort to improve employment, educational, and other opportunities for members of groups that have been subjected to discrimination. Criteria for affirmative action include race, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, and age.

Affirmative action remains necessary to provide legal protection to consider race in admissions as part of these institutions' efforts to create a diverse student population. Scientists play a crucial role in assuring equitable access to colleges and universities.

Most importantly, not a single credible study has found evidence that students are harmed by attending a more selective college. There may well be reasons to abolish or reform affirmative action policies, but the possibility that they harm the intended beneficiaries should not be among them.

The dif- ference in graduation rates is larger, with 57% of affirmative action students graduating compared to 73% of their nonaffirmative action peers.

Prevent and challenge discrimination

Help all children to feel good about their race, ethnicity, culture and faith. stereotypes which can undermine their wellbeing and sense of self. foundation stage upwards, schools can include work about acceptance and about avoiding stereotypes and prejudice.

Promoting equality and respecting diversity help to ensure that people are valued and have the same access to all opportunities whatever their differences. The Act also provides protection for individuals who experience discrimination by association with someone who has a protected characteristic.

How does diversity help prevent discrimination? ›

Research suggests that a lack of diversity and inclusion in the workplace can promote discriminatory behavior. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) concluded that harassment, which is a form of discrimination, is more likely to happen in the workplace with a lack of diversity.

In the 1960s and 1970s, colleges and graduate schools began developing affirmative action policies to expand access to disadvantaged and underrepresented segments of society, including racial minorities.

Now, affirmative action is legal if admissions programs seek to assemble varied student bodies, with race as one factor among many — but the enduring element of race is what is being challenged in court today.